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I’ve had great fun watching our current world situation.

Today I heard of someone who listened to a podcast.  They figured this was all a conspiracy.

Then I examined MSM (main stream media) and I wasn’t sure if some of the reporting wasn’t a conspiracy theory.

And now I’m starting my own conspiracy.

It’s called the MANNA THEORY.

Arriving from the wandering of the Jews in the wilderness, the feeding came about through wafers dispersed on the ground each morning (as well as quail arriving unannounced).  They came up with a name for this new normal – or was it a conspiracy – or maybe aliens?

The Israelites called this wafer – Manna.  Meaning, “I DON’T KNOW”.

Martin Rinckart composed a poem in 1636 – “Now thank we all our God”.  About 10 years later the music was composed.  The song has been sung for centuries in churches big and small.

Interesting part?  The song talks of thanking God, of God’s bounty, and blessed peace.

Not sure how you would have taken his circumstances. 

He was a pastor in Eilenberg, Germany as the Thirty Years war was starting.  The walled town became a refugee center.  There was famine as the town was besieged – and poverty.  And the plague rained down upon them.  Martin buried up to 40-50 people a day – in all a total of 4,480 people. 

And these words reigned supreme – NOW, THANK WE ALL OUR GOD!!

My reading today was in the Book of Exodus – the part where the Israelites have crossed the sea and are in a transitional phase.  Not unlike a time where you are not sure what is going to happen tomorrow (a blatant hint that I’m talking about our current time).

Exodus 15:26 say,  “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Somehow over the years I have equated this to the passage that rang through the early 1970’s – when the Canadian revival took place (II Chronicles 7:14).

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Humbling means stepping back from aggrandizing activity.  Silence is a part of that – not trying to be the defending voice against accusations that are all too true.  Praying is a street that runs two ways. 

So, we entreat and request.  We listen and obey.

We are into another round of COVID restrictions in Saskatchewan.

Of interest is interpretation.

Let’s start with another province first.  I read an article on a Manitoba church that had a service like the old drive-in.  The writer mentioned that this was against the health order – to have a drive through or drive up service.  But is the drive in service the same?  Who does the interpretation?  I read the health order and this case is not directly addressed.

Now, in Saskatchewan we have strict rules on gatherings.  A public gathering is only up to 30 people.  At least for a worship service.  But do you have to wear a mask?  Is this a private space with only members in attendance?  And what about school playgrounds?  Is the outdoors and physical distancing enough not to require masks.  Read the regulations and you can find loopholes where the stitching has not quite caught up with the need for a tight fabric.

And we are back to moral choice and interpreting the legislation’s crafters intent – hopefully for the good of all!